A beautiful sunset at Pier 60

August is the hottest month of the year here on Clearwater Beach. In addition to the high temperatures, we are likely to see squalls, winds, and waves associated with tropical storms, either as a glancing blow, or a more direct hit. With water temperatures in low 90′s it becomes more important to fish early or late, as the sweltering heat of mid-day drives both fish and fishermen to cooler abodes.

We saw a good variety of fish caught this August on Pier 60.

Spanish Mackerel were not abundant every day, but decent catches were made by fishermen using live shrimp, small minnows or lures. Mackerel feed in mid-water, so bait presentation is key. Using a float or very little weight allows the bait to lie off the bottom or just under the surface. Keeping the bait in the strike zone gives the angler the best chances of success for the toothy Mackerel.

Snook are still feeding around the pier at night, but they are wary and have not been showing up until the wee hours of the morning, usually after most fishermen leave for the night. Snook will stay around until water temperatures dip into the mid-70′s. The high water temperatures seem to push hard feeding times into late-late night or just before dawn. Still, we have seen dozens of Snook milling about, awaiting that secret signal to feed. Snook remains a catch-and-release fishery until September 2012.

Some quite decent Sheepshead were caught off the pier recently. The Sheepies like small live shrimp, crabs, or other mollusks. Small hooks, patience, and a heightened sense of feel for the hook all offer advantages to the angler targeting the Sheepshead.

We have seen some nice Flounder caught this month on live shrimp. Good eating-size fish were not uncommon, and we also saw many undersize Flounder caught and released.

Spotted Sea Trout have been showing up most evenings well after dark. Although some fish are taken both in the mornings and afternoons, the best time to catch Trout has been well after dark. The fish seem to be very picky and tentative when biting, and it does not help when the water is alive with hordes of Pinfish ready to pick off a nice live shrimp. At these times it is perhaps better to use a white grub-tail lure tipped with a bit of fresh shrimp to get the Trout to bite.

Gag Grouper have been caught and released with some regularity this month. Grouper season has been closed to recreational fishermen all summer, but will open from September 16 to November 15. Minimum size of 22 inches, bag limit two fish.

Cobia were regular visitors to Pier 60 this month. All of the Cobia we saw were undersize, and were released. A few big fish were hooked, but eluded the landing net and got away.

There was a smattering of Whiting taken in August. The Whiting, although small, are a tasty treat to enjoy. Fishing on the sandy areas surrounding the Pier, a two-hook rig baited with squid or shrimp is frequently a successful tactic.

When the winds blow and the water gets muddied up, Catfish appear. Both HardHead and SailCats were a frequent catch here this month. Catfish will bite most any bait, including live Pinfish. Please be careful of the sharp spines this fish possesses. The Catfish will often struggle and flip about when it is time to remove the hook, and a serious wound can be the result. Saltwater Catfish have become more acceptable table fare in recent years, so there is some potential for a meal in poor weather conditions at least.

There are still Tarpon off the end of the Pier in the mornings. We see fish of 40 to 60 lbs. rolling in pods, and a well-placed live bait or large oily hunk of fish soaking in their path could incite a thrilling jump-and-run.

There are plenty of Sharks about, including BlackTip, Bonnethead, and Sand Sharks. Although we do not permit Shark fishing here on Pier 60, hook-ups are frequent. We ask that anglers do not land the larger Sharks, just break off once the fish has been fought and tired out.

Capt'n Tom

Redfish have made an appearance here, with fish both over and under the slot size of 18 to 27 inches. Some fish in the 40-inch range were successfully fought and released this month.

Pier 60 hours of operation will change Oct. 1^st back to Monday-Thursday 6 Am to 9:30 PM. We will still be open 24 hours Fridays and Saturdays.

Good Luck Fishing!